Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed the expected release of captured soldier Edan Alexander, saying at the start of the weekly meeting of his Religious Zionist Party faction, 'Today we are experiencing a moment of joy and comfort. Edan Alexander, who was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, is being released.' The minister attributed the release to military pressure in the Gaza Strip: 'Two months ago, some were saying we would need to release 250 terrorists with blood on their hands to free him. Now his family and we are getting him without paying anything because we created military and diplomatic pressure on Hamas.'